The present invention generally relates to image pickup devices having a holding part, and more particularly to an image pickup device which can be supported in a balanced state at each of angularly rotated positions of an angularly rotatable holding part thereof, so that the image pickup device can be operated with ease.
Recently, especially due to downsizing of recording and/or reproducing apparatuses for home use, television cameras are also becoming downsized. In some compact type television cameras, the recording and/or reproducing apparatus is unitarily built-in within the camera. The compact type television cameras are generally provided with a holding or gripping part, and an operator holds this holding part when operating the compact type television camera to carry out the image pickup.
Conventionally, as an example of a television camera having such a holding part, there was a television camera provided with the holding part at a bottom surface of a main camera body. However, the position of the holding part is fixed in the television camera having such a design, and the operating position and usage of the television camera accordingly become limited. Hence, a method may be considered to operate the television camera at desired positions, by designing the holding part as a detachable member so that the holding part may be detachably mounted at predetermined positions of the main camera body. However, if the holding part is designed as a detachable member, the holding part must be detached from one mounting position and mounted onto another mounting position every time the television camera is to be operated, and the operation of the television camera becomes quite troublesome to perform. Furthermore, if a plurality of mounting positions are provided on the main camera body for mounting the holding part, the external appearance of the television camera becomes spoiled, and the cost of the device becomes high.
As another example of a conventional television camera having a holding part, there was a television camera having a holding part which is mounted angularly rotatable on a side surface of the main camera body. The angularly rotatable holding part may be locked at a predetermined angularly rotated position, and the operator operates the television camera by locking the holding part at a predetermined angularly rotated position according to his needs. The holding part may be locked at three angularly rotated positions, for example, and assume an accommodated position extending along the side surface of the main camera body, a fully rotated position drawn to the front of the main camera body, and an intermediate position between the accommodated position and the fully rotated position. Generally, when the television camera is directly placed onto the floor or a tripod for image pickup, the television camera is operated in a state where the holding part is locked at the accommodated position. When the television camera is operated in a state where the holding part is locked at the fully rotated position, the operator supports a rear part of the television camera by his shoulder and operates the television camera while holding the holding part. Further, if the television camera is to be operated in a state where the television camera is supported at the operator's side or when a high or low angle image pickup is to be carried out, the holding part is locked at the intermediate position and the operator holds the holding part while carrying out the image pickup.
However, in the above television camera, the holding part is mounted parallel to the side surface of the main camera body and rotates angularly about an axis which is perpendicular to the side surface of the main camera body. Accordingly, when the holding part is locked at the accommodated position, various manipulating buttons and the like provided on the holding part become difficult to manipulate. Hence, in order to improve the manipulation characteristic of the above manipulating buttons and the like when the holding part is locked at the accommodated position, a method may be considered to mount the holding part relatively separated from the side surface of the main camera body. However, although the manipulation characteristic of the manipulating buttons and the like will be improved when the holding part is locked at the accommodated position by the above described design, it becomes extremely difficult to support the television camera by holding the holding part when the holding part is locked at the intermediate position or the fully rotated position, because the holding part rotates angularly in a plane parallel to the side surface of the main camera body and the holding part is greatly shifted from the center of gravity of the television camera at the intermediate and fully rotated positions of the holding part. That is, the television camera becomes unbalanced at the intermediate and fully rotated positions of the holding part.
In addition, if the holding part is mounted parallel to the side surface of the main camera body, the holding part at its fully rotated position is shifted from a vertical plane which includes the center of gravity of the main camera body and is parallel to or includes the optical axis of the main camera body. Therefore, there is a disadvantage in that it is extremely difficult to balance the television camera at the fully rotated position of the holding part and the television camera thus becomes difficult to operate. The above disadvantage becomes notable especially when the holding part is mounted so as to be relatively separated from the side surface of the main camera body.